Clasp.



E. E. WHITE. CLASP. APPLICATION riuzn OCT- n. 1915.

- 1,202,133. Patented 001;. 24,1916.

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ERNEST EUGENE WHITE, OF GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA.

CLASP.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Oct. 24, 1916,

Application filed October 11, 1915. Serial No. 55,250.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST E. WHITE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Greensboro, in the county of Guilford and State of North Garolina,-have-invented oer V tain new and useful Improvements in Clasps; and I do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make the article clamped thereby.

The object of the invention is to provide a clasp of this character in which the tension of the clamping spring is soequalized so as to produce the same gripping. effect on a thin or a thick article and which does not require any adjustment to adapt it for use on either.

Another object is to provide a clasp so constructed that while producing a maximum gripping effect yet may be made comparatively thin thereby rendering it less cumbersomeand bulky.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists'of certain novel features of construction, and the combination and arrangement of parts as will be more fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings: Figure 1 represents a front elevation of this improved clasp shown applied and connecting a watch fob and chain; Fig. 2 is a rear elevation of the clasp detached; Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2; Fig. 4: is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 of Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a plan view of the blank from which the main body or clip of the device is constructed; Fig. 6 is a similar view of the blank from which the pivoted jaw is formed.

In the embodiment illustrated, this improved clasp is constructed of two main members comprising a clip 1 and a leverlike jaw 10, a coiled spring 15 and a rivet 16. The member 1 which constitutes the rigid jaw or clip of the clasp is formed from the blank shown in Fig. 5 which is designed to be folded transversely midway its length to provide a substantially U-shaped clip, the arms or plates 2 and 3 of which are shown of the same length and arranged parallel being connected at their inner ends by a transversely curved cross bar 4, whereby said arms are spaced apart the desired dis tance to provlde for the reception between them of the article to which the clasp is to be applied and for the operation of the pivoted jaw of the clasp. These arms 2 and 3 are shown provlded at their free ends respectively with eyes 5 and 5 to which are shown connected a fob F and a chain C respectively, which articles are here shown connected by said clasp and secured thereby to a vest pocket although obviously the clasp may be used for other purposes.

The arm 2 is here shown made of ornamental shape and maybe decorated as desired, being designed as the exposed member of the clasp when applied (see Fig. l). The inner or concealed arm or plate 3 has an opening 6 therein, here shown rectangular in form and provided at its inner end with a similarly shaped communicating extension 7 of less width than the opening 6 and which extends across the greater portion of the transversely curved crossbar 4 to provide for the opening of the pivoted jaw 10 to be described. The cross bar 4 has a recess 8 in its outer face near one end communicating with the opening 6 for a purpose to be described (see Figs. 2 and 5).

The plate or arm 3 has inturned apertured ears or lugs 9 on the side edges of the opening 6 intermediately of the ends thereof,

said lugs extending at right angles to said arm and are designed as bearings for the pivot of the jaw 10. This jaw 10 is constructed from the blank shown in Fig. 6 having one end toothed as shown at 11 and which is designed to be bent laterally inward at right angles along the dotted line 12 shown in Fig. 6 to provide the biting or gripping element of said jaw. This jaw 10 is made from a substantially rectangular metal plate shaped to fit and move within the openings 6 and 7 when assembled and after the toothed'end thereof has been bent as above described.

Apertured lugs or cars 13 are formed on the side edges of the plate 10 and bent laterally inward at right-angles and which are adapted to register with the ears 9 of arm 3 when the parts are assembled to receive the pivot 16 which connects the pivoted jaw 10 to the arm 3, said pivot passing through the lugs 9 of arm 3 and lugs 13 of the jaw 10, the lugs 13 being arranged within and adjacent the inner facesof the lugs 9 as is shown clearly in Fig. 4. This plate or jaw 10 has a longitudinally extending tongue 14 which is bent outward at its free end as 7 shown in FigsMZ and 3 to provide a finger ripping or operating handle for said jaw. Tlhis tongue 14 is of a width slightly less than the width of the slot 7 and is designed to 'operate in said slot when the parts are assembled to provide for the opening of the jaw 10.,

By arranging the lugs 9 and 13 in the the fabric or article to which theclasp is designed to be attached isgripped. This jaw or platelO is provided at one side edge thereof at its rear end with a cut-away portion or notch 1 1 which is positioned to register with the recess8 in the cross bar 4 of the clip when the parts are assembled to provide for the connection of one-end of the spring 15 with said recess 8 as is shown clearly in Fig. 2. j v

The spring 15 is coiled-around the pivot 16 between the cars 18 of jaw 10 as is shown clearly in Figs. 2 and 4: and one end 15 thereof is arranged adjacent one end of the pivot .16 and is extended obliquely through the notch 14 and has its terminaldisposed within the recess 8 in the cross bar 4, said terminal being shownstraight to provide for its properv positioning in this recess although the recess and the shape of the end may obviously both be changed if found desirable, the main object of so positioning them being to provide the proper tension on the spring15. The other end 15' which is arranged at the opposite end of the pivot 16 is extended obliquely inward and the terminal thereof then bent outward and'engaged with the outer face of the plate 10, being here shown positioned at the base of the tongue or operating handle 1 1' .(see Fig. 2). By so positioning these ends of the coiled springs 15, the tension thereof will be equalized so that the pivoted jaw10 will exert a uniform pressure-at its biting end and will thereby adapt it foruseon either thick or thin fabric or other material to which the clasp is to be attached, the strength of the spring being in, no wise impaired by using the device on thick material such as commonly occurs in devices of this character, it being often found that after a 'clasp has been used on thick material it will not reliably hold when applied to thinner material.

By fulcruming the pivoted jaw in the manner above described with the reg1ster- 111g ears or bearings thereof turned inward,

the outer faces of the jaw 10 and the arin 3 are disposed substantially flush and the opening or recess 7 in the cross bar permits the operating handle 14 to pass downwardly thercinto for releasing the biting end of the jaw and the same effect is produced as if the lever or jaw 10 were fulcrumed in a plane outsidethe arm 3 and thus, while accom of any suitable or desired material, according to whether a cheap or an expensive device is desired.

I claim:

A clasp formed of a-flat strip of, metal bent substantially upon itself to form a U whose two arms have eyes formed through theirfree ends, one of said arms having a rectangular} opening, elongated, longitudinally thereof, the inner end. wall of said opening having a centralrectangular notch extending into the bend of the U, the metal to one side of said notch being stamped inwardlytoform a seat extendingto the aforesaid opening and the. parallel edge wallsof said opening having ears bent inwardly toward the outer arm, a rectangular jaw plate fitting into said opening and having at one end an integral outwardly curved finger, piece adapted when depressed to ex-r tend into the notch, the other end of said jaw platebeing bent inwardly and the-side,

edges of-s-aidplate having ears, bent inwardlyvadjacent the first mentioned ears, a pivot pin passing through all of the ears, and a coiled spring surrounding said pin, one end of said spring resting in the aforesaid seat and the other end thereofbeing extended obliquely of the jaw plateand bearing against the inner face of the finger piece. a I

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

' ERNEST EUGENE WHITE.

Witnesses: I

W. MCGAMERY, G. R. SUTTON.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

